Economy

BYD's vehicles line up at its manufacturing base in Hefei, in China's Anhui province. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
Your Week in Asia

BYD's Indonesia foray, China GDP, JAXA lunar landing

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

14 January 2024
A farmer works in her field in Thailand. Exports of Thai rice recovered in 2023.
Agriculture

Vietnam and Thailand rice exports soar after India ban

Consumers feel the pinch of higher prices as countries scramble to secure supply

12 January 2024
Bank of Thailand Gov. Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, left, meets with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in Bangkok on Jan. 10. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Government House)
Inflation

Thai PM pressures central bank to cut rates to boost economy

Srettha offers to exchange ideas on monetary policy every week

10 January 2024
Foreign tourists at Khaosan street, a famous nightlife zone in Bangkok. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Travel & Leisure

Extended nightlife hours revive Thai tourism

New Year's events also spark more tourist spending and boost economy

10 January 2024
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin delivers policy statements to parliament in September after a monthslong delay in the formation of a government.
Economy

Thai lawmakers greenlight delayed $101bn fiscal budget

Srettha government allocates 20% to investment in narrow spending window

5 January 2024
Outside Bangkok's Siam Paragon shopping mall. Consumer prices are edging up, mostly due to weather and the high cost of producing some fresh foods. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Inflation

Thailand bucks peers as consumer prices drop for 3rd month in row

Energy subsidies keep inflation down while core CPI ticks up

5 January 2024
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin poses for a photo before an interview with Nikkei Asia at Government House in Bangkok on Dec. 12. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Turbulent Thailand

Thai PM Srettha seeks longevity as political factions bide time

Newcomer's fate seen as resting on party's favor, rollout of digital wallet

24 December 2023
Travelers walk through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Dec. 20. As the number of tourists surges across Southeast Asia, so too are COVID cases. (Photo by Norman Goh)
Coronavirus

Malaysia and Singapore put guard up as COVID cases surge

Southeast Asia asks public to mask up and get vaccinated as travel season begins

21 December 2023
Chinese tourists visit Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaew temple in August. People from the country made up the world's biggest outbound travel market before the COVID pandemic, with 155 million trips in 2019. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Travel & Leisure

In charts: How Asia's tourism recovery is held back by stay-home Chinese

World's biggest foreign travel market hurt by weak economy, safety concerns

21 December 2023
Honda has started producing the e:N1 SUV at a plant in Prachinburi province, east of Bangkok.
Automobiles

Honda becomes first Japan company to produce passenger EVs in Thailand

SUV to hit local market in early 2024 as competition with Chinese rivals heats up

18 December 2023
A Japanese oil tanker attacked by pirates in the Strait of Malacca in 2014: Thailand's 'Landbridge' would provide an alternative route between the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Opinion

Thailand's 'Landbridge' will bring East and West closer together

New link between Indian and Pacific oceans to provide economic boost

17 December 2023
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin poses for a photo before the interview at Government House of Thailand in Bangkok on Dec. 12. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Interview

Thailand's 'bad' economy must grow to get investment, PM Srettha says

Srettha Thavisin tells Nikkei Asia he will not resign if digital wallet plan fails

12 December 2023
Thai Prime minister Srettha Thavisin outlines the government's digital money handout plan at a news conference in Bangkok on Nov. 10. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Economy

Thailand lacks baht for Srettha's digital wallet plan, economist warns

Risk of crisis from local currency shortage 'should not be underestimated'

30 November 2023
A bank employee gathers Thai baht notes: The central bank held its policy interest rate steady at 2.5%, ending a streak of eight straight rate rises as the economy slows.
Economy

Thailand pauses monetary tightening as economy slows

Central bank keeps rate unchanged at 2.5%, downgrades growth outlook

29 November 2023
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says that the country faces an economic crisis, and that the antidote is for citizens to "take pride in spending."
Asia Insight

Thailand PM Srettha faces hard sell in e-wallet plan to stoke economy

'Salesman' turns to domestic woes after foreign focus in first 100 days

28 November 2023
Japanese trading house Marubeni hopes its Osaji cosmetics brand will help its cosmetics business reach sales of $100 billion yen by 2030. (Photo courtesy of Osaji)
Companies

Japan's Marubeni to push Osaji cosmetics brand in Southeast Asia

Trading house weighs sales at Thailand's Karmarts, Malaysia's Ainz & Tulpe

27 November 2023
Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port on July 16. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

ASEAN economies await a cloudy 2024 amid export worries

Trade-oriented countries are 'not out of the woods' yet after 2023's slowdown

22 November 2023
Tourists visit Wat Arun temple in Bangkok in October. A recovery in tourism toward the end of the year will be a boon for the economy. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

Thailand GDP growth disappoints as exports weaken

Economy expanded 1.5% in Q3, falling short of market expectations

20 November 2023
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin poses during a welcome ceremony on Sept. 25 for the first Chinese tourists arriving under a five-month visa-free entry scheme. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
International relations

Thai government in hot water over idea to invite Chinese police

PM Srettha Thavisin proposed controversial plan after Bangkok shooting incident

18 November 2023
The colorful Hindu temple Sri Maha Mariamman in Bangkok features statues of various deities. (Photo by Kenya Akama)
Travel & Leisure

Thailand's spiritual sites attract young locals facing uncertain life

'Mutelu tourism' market seen growing 40% amid good-luck charm boom

12 November 2023
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin revealed at a press conference on Nov. 10 that a controversial 10,000 baht handout his party campaigned on will be late and go to fewer people. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Politics

Thailand's Srettha delays digital money handout for 3 months

PM also scales back beneficiaries of Pheu Thai's flagship election pledge

10 November 2023
A Cambodian girl collects rubber sap at a farm in Tbong Khmum province. 
Business Spotlight

From Cambodia to Thailand, rubber producers brace for new EU rules

Deforestation regulation's requirement to prove sources called tough and costly

3 November 2023
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, center, chairs a meeting of the Board of Investment to discuss EV subsidy programs on Nov. 1. (Photo courtesy of Thai government)
Automobiles

Thailand announces reduced EV subsidies to run until 2027

Sales incentives cut as demand rises and foreign investors flow in

1 November 2023
Thai consumers are finding it harder to obtain car loans, a situation that has weighed on auto sales in the country. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Automobiles

Thai auto industry body cuts 2023 production forecast to 1.85m units

Downward revision triggered by tougher loan standards and high interest rates

25 October 2023
Thailand's Si Thep Historical Park has been named a World Heritage site. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) 
Travel & Leisure

Thailand's new World Heritage site faces overtourism pitfalls

Si Thep park unprepared for surge in visitors or threat of artifact theft

22 October 2023